Stepping up and giving back is a family tradition for the Sams clan

“Everything our family has been able to do can go back to MSU in one way or another,” says Diane. “We are grateful and we want other people to have the same opportunity we had.”

Stepping up and giving back is a family tradition for the Sams clan

October 27, 2016

Every fall, the Sams family gathers at Spartan Stadium to watch their patriarch, Lieutenant General Ronald Sams, don his faithful Spartan Marching Band jacket, dust off his trombone and march onto the field. It’s the Alumni Band Reunion Saturday and Ron, his wife Diane and their children Robert and Laura—alumni all—never miss it.

“It’s great to come back one day a year and pretend I’m a college student again,” says Ron, the retired inspector general of the U.S. Air Force. “I get to pay tribute to the university and see appreciation back. We all feel like we are part of the Spartan family.”

So, when Ron and Diane saw a push for donations to provide jackets for the 80+ incoming members of the band, they didn’t hesitate to join in. And they couldn’t be prouder to be part of the effort’s resounding success.

But, they didn’t stop there. Ron got his start in ROTC, so they also make giving to MSU’s ROTC program a priority.

“Everything our family has been able to do can go back to MSU in one way or another,” says Diane. “We are grateful and we want other people to have the same opportunity we had.”